More info about DCUO MegaServers

As RadarX previously announced, DCUO players can expect servers merge into 4 huge MegaServers. Lorin ‘DeadMeat’ Jameson, Executive Producer, DC Universe Online answered some of the questions that have popped up on the forums and Facebook about MegaServers:

Why are you creating MegaServers?

We have a very large and active population in DCUO. As players achieve higher levels, a lot more of the game involves participating in Raids, Arenas, Duos, Alerts, and other queued instances. After examining how the queues were working in detail, we saw our players were spending far too much time waiting and not enough time playing. This just would not do. We wanted an approach that would not only help players waiting for queued content, but ensured that no matter when you play, there are a maximum number of people in the cities as well. MegaServers offers a way to have an incredible experience no matter what your play habits are.

I am on a PvP server. Will I still be with other PvP players when I get to a MegaServer?

Yes! MegaServers use “phasing” technology, meaning there is more than one version, or phase, of Metropolis and Gotham on the server. Players who selected PvP servers when they created their characters will always be in a PvP phase of the shared world with other PvP players. The same goes for PvE players; They will always be placed in PvE phases. However, since the queues will be shared, PvE and PvP players will be able to group up for Alerts, Raids, Duos, etc. greatly increasing the pool of available players for matchmaking. It is a very cool system that really maximizes the people online, and nearby, for you to play with.

Will I still be able to play with my friends?

Yes! We have algorithms that will attempt to place you in the same phase as your friends and League members. Even if you end up in a different phase, you can almost always phase to your friends. Using the UI, or a command like /phase SooperBFF you will be relocated to SooperBFF’s phase in the same location that you phased from. There will be some limitations on when you can phase based on whether you are in combat, in an Alert or Duo, etc. but I think you will find it is easy to get together with the folks you want to play with.

MegaServers? Why that name?

It just felt big. Putting hundreds of thousands of folks on the same server felt Mega! We considered ‘UberServers’ and ‘MonsterServers’ as well.

Can players be in the same League even if they are PvE or PvP players.

I’m afraid not, at least not initially. Since everyone is mixed together in Arenas, Alerts, etc. we disabled PvP and PvE flagged folks from joining in Leagues together. I will look at it though and prehaps we can find a way around that in the future.

What is going to happen in regards to characters’ names?

There will of course be name collisions. We are still working out the details, but in general when names collide we will choose who gets to keep the name based on the amount of time investment a player has in the character. For example, if two folks have the same name, are both subscribers, and one has 100 hours played for a character and another has 5, the 100 hour player will get to keep the name. The other character’s name will be changed and they will receive a rename token to allow them a name change. Some of these details may change but this is the general concept.

I know many folks like the name@server approach, but this is not a case of players being able to move from one server to another (or just chatting between servers) as in other games. Everyone is on one server, even if they are not in the same phase. The @ sign approach creates a ton of problems for Customer Support, Community and frankly for the players.

Also there is the issue of new characters once the MegaServers are deployed. What would be the meaning or purpose of an @ name?

I know we cannot please everyone on this (that is impossible frankly). We will however be fair and consistent. We have analyzed the DB and although naming collisions will affect thousands, in the end, it is still less than 5% of the subscribed players. We will of course keep listening to feedback and your ideas. Although the system is mostly done, we will consider any ideas that could solve the problems in a more elegant way.

Will we be able to switch our characters to PvP “phases” if we were originally on a PvE server, and vice versa?

I am afraid not. Server select will be replaced by choosing PvE or PvP for your new character and that will forever tie you to the appropriate phase. Leveling up a character in PvP is honestly more difficult (i have the brusies to prove it). Being able to switch back and forth between the two would not be fair.

What is going to change, if anything, about collection spawn rate and placement for spawns when super servers come up?

You shouldn’t see a change to collection spawning within a zone based on the MegaServers. You may find that the market for collectables changes as there will be a larger pool of people listing and buying them on the broker.